German-American Discourse on Politics and Culture

April 27, 2010

Aygül Özkan: Remove Crucifixes from the Classroom

First the German CDU does something very positive in appointing the Turkish-born Aygül Özkan as the minister for social affairs in the state of Lower Saxony, and then they immediately express buyer's remorse when Frau Özkan quite rationally asked for religious symbols to be taken out of public schools in Germany:

School should be a neutral place," said Ozkan, 38, adding that the Islamic headscarf should also not be worn in class.

She is expected Tuesday to become the first female state minister of
Turkish origin, as a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right
Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

The premier of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff, also CDU, reacted
immediately, saying: "The regional executive considers religious
symbols, especially the cross, to be the sign of a tolerant education,
based on Christian values."

Others reacted with more vigour. Stefan Mueller, from the CDU's
Bavarian sister party, the CSU, described Ozkan's remarks as "so
absurd, it's scary."

"Politicians who want to ban crucifixes in schools should consider
whether they really have a place in a Christian Democratic party," he
added.

According to media reports, she has received death threats and has been placed under police protection.

There is no mystery where the death threats are coming from. The hate blog Politically Incorrect called Frau Özkan "Muslim Trojan Horse", the "Catholic" Holocaust-denial site kreuz.net is outraged that a "Muslim" has a role in a "Christian" party, and the neo-Nazi NPD writes that she represents a fifth column of Islamic extremism.

1. The affixation of a cross or crucifix in the classrooms of a State
compulsory school that is not a denominational school infringes Art.
4(1) Basic Law.

The CDU has to think about what the meaning of the "C" is in the party in a modern secular democracy. If membership or allegiance to Christianity is a precondition to party membership, then the future looks very bleak indeed for the CDU/CSU.

Comments

Her comments may have created a backlash in Germany, but she is absolutely right. How can secular schools welcome students of all faiths when the power of the state is identified with the symbolism of only one religion? Either remove them (my preference) or add symbols from all of the world's great religions.